Method of charging blast-furnaces.



K 'PATENTED SEPT. a, 1907 A. GpMgKEE. METHODOP GHARGrING- BLAST PURNAGES ArPLIoATfoN FILED Nov.z4.1eoe.

UNiTED STATES.

ARTHUR G. MCKEE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

METHOD OF CHARGIN G BLAST-FURNACES.

Specication of Letters Patent Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

Application tiled November 24,1906. Serial No. 344.939.

dTo all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that l', ARTHUR G. MCKEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of ChargingBlast-Fnrnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates 'to a novel method of charging blast furnaces whereby to effect a desirable distribution of the stock therein.

class of centrally filled furnaces served by skips, wherein a seal is effected by means of double bells, and wherein sach successive skip-load of furnace stock as it is delivered is distributed around the vertical axis of the upper bell, as in most mechanically filled furnaces in use at the present time. It has been found that the procedure in furnaces thus filled results in the separation or classification of the material deliyered thereto. That is, the relatively moist and fine particles are con stantly delivered in one neighborhood, while the coarse, drier and more lively moving lumps are delivered to another neighborhood. The effect of this is that one zone or portion-of the column of stock contained in the furnace is more easily penetrated by the ascending gases, which causes caprices in the descent of the stock and-in the reduction of the ore, and many attendant ills well known to those acquainted with the practical side of blast furnace operations. It is also found that in this class of furnaces irregularities of quantity as well as quality sometimes arise on opposite sides of the center.

The obj 'eet of my invention is to provide a method of delivering vlock to the furnace by means of which this irregularity or error itself in the delivery of ariy increment of the stock whether of quality or quantity may be distributed with uniformity around the vertical axis of the furnace; and the described portionwhich is more open or free to the passage of the gas may be disposed so as to avoid the creation of a column of stock on one side of the furnace more susceptible to the 'penetration of the gases and more quickly reducible ithan the other portions of the stock.

ln other Words, the object of the invention `is to supply the stock to the furnace in an improved manner which shall prevent the localization of the heating and reducing effect and'cause the `latter to act with uniforrhlty throughout the entire cross-section of the stock at all points in the height ofthe column.

In order to render the disclosure of my novel method entirely clear and to illustrate a practical application thereof, I have shown in thegaccompanying drawing a simple form of apparatus the invention may be carried out, in which the sg'tir shows a yemen ami `other supporting devices appearing in side elevation.

Referring to the drawing, 5 may designate the top portion of the furnace, in the upper end of which is secured a fixed hopper 6 having its lower or bottom opening controlled and normally closed by a bell 7, while its top opening is covered by a frusto-conical cap 8, upon which is secured the receptacle 9, the lower opening of which is controlled and normally closed by a bell or other suitable closure 10. As herein shown, The invention is more particularly applicable to that j The receptacle 9 is mounted so as to be rotatable on its vertical axis, and such rotary movement may be im# parted by any suitable or convenient driving gear such as the belt 12 passing around the fixed pulley 13 on the receptacle and guided over one or more sheaves 14. Means are provided for raising and lowering the'bells 7 and 10, the means herein shown for controlling the bell 7 consisting of a rod l5 connected to the latter and at its upper end suspended from one arm of a lever 16 pivoted on a suitable support 17. Said lever 16 has a counterweight 18 normally tending to raise the bell and maintain it in closing position, while a cylinder 19 having its piston rod 20 pivoted to the lever 16, operates to effect the'v lowering of the bell at the desired intervals.V A Similar mechanism may serve to control the rising and falling movements of the bell l0, the latter being shown as provided with a tubular connection 21 through which the rod 15 may pass, said connection having secured to its upper end a bearing disk 22 pref- I erably resting upon balls.2 3.wl1ieh .travel in an annular race-way 24 ,formed in a yoke 25. This yoke is suspended as/(by means of a flexible cable or chain 26 from a segment 27 on the end of a lever 28 pivoted on a support 29 having a counterweight 30 and an operating cylinder and piston-rod 31 and 32, respectively.-

In the said construction as heretofore used, where'the receptacle 9 has been of stationary form it has been found 'that the greater portion of the larger and coarser lumps of stock was always deposited on the side of the receptacle opposite or nearly so to the point of dumping (dependent upon the particular form of the receptacle 9 -used in each case), and the greater portion of the fine particles and dust was always deposited at a point near or immediately below the dumping point. This segregation of the coarse and fine material has been continued in much the same proportion 'during its passage through the lower hopper and furnace, with the result that the gases have' found easier passageway up the side of the `furnace containing the preponderance of lumps and coarser particles, with a resulting bad working of the furnace and early destruction of its lining. This is roo entirely prevented by my new and improved method I son desires to make thelayers of other materials thicker, ot' [ceding the stock, which willbo readily apparent this can readily be accomplished by chargingr twoor from the following description of thc operation of `the typical apparatus above described for carrying out the same. Assuming,r that the receptacles (i and 9 are closed by their respective bells the skip-.loads oi material are dumped into the receptacle 9 from the skips ll at any desired intervals. Aitor cach skipdumping operation, said receptacle is rotated partially, and the lever 28 `is then actuated to lower the bclllQand deposit the load in the hopper (S. 'lhcse successive partial rotations or angular movements et said receptacle 9 are made of a length increasing :successively by equal increments, so that the hnnpy portion of cach skip-load, after the latter has been deposited in the receptacle 9, is deposited in *f the underlyingl hopper o at a point differing from that at which such lumps ol the immediately preceding load were deposited. lt will therefore be seen that the large lumps and the ner material are successively deposited atndil'ferent and successive points in the hopper (i, the course and line parts oi 'the various loads over.- lappingr and overlying each other; and by using a proper schedule ol variations in the amount of rotation, the i1'- i'ogular and unequal distribution heretofore unavoidable in hopper G and the furnace is equalized and made substantially uniform. Any irregularities in the relative quantitic oi stoel-z delivered to opposite sides oithe center are like vise distributed. YWhen the hopper 6 has been lllcd tn the desired extent, the leverylA is ac tuated by its cylinder i9 to lower the bell 7, and the contents ol the hopper are depositcdin vthe furnace. By virtue of the iact thateach skip-loadas it is deliv ered to the receptacle 9 is automatically distributed entirely around the vertical axis of the latter, the successive skip-loads are deposited in the same relation to the axis and in the i'orm of comparatively thin layers of` stone or flux in thisI manner is required in order that a4 uniform slag may result', but it' the operator for any real as described.

2. A' method of charging blast furnaces which consist:

more skip-loads oi the one material in succession.

From the foregoing it will he seen that the central and essential -fcature oi my invention resides in such a handling of the stock as it is fed into the furnace as effects a distribution of tbc irregularity or error of each suecossive charge of stock around the vertical axis to the iurnace, this causing theibody of stock contained in the 'furnace to present substantially equal and uniformi re! sistance to the passage ofthe ascending currents at` all points in its cross-section. This is indicated in, an ci(- aggerated form in the drawings, wherein the natural tendency of relative distribution of the particles oi each skip-load iu the upper rotary receptacle, and the distribution et the irregularity or error in the lower receptacle or hopper is roughly shown.

i claim.:

1. A method ol charging blast furnaces which consists in deliveringr the charges into a chamber in such a manner as lo cause thel material of cach charge to roughly sep arme Into two portions one nf which is coarse and the other une, und subsequently depositing auch charges from the chamber into the furnace ln such u manner that the coal-ser particles are delivered ontotbe ner particles ot a previously deposited charge and vice versn, substantially in dellverlna' the charges into u chamber inthe form o annular layer-sor rings aroundl thevertical axis of .the furnace with the coarscr particles lyng on one side of suld zxxls und the liner partlcles on they opposite side;

partially rotatingy successive charges in :said chamber`- said hopper, and rotating said portions through different' angles before placing themA ln the furnace,-whereby to equalize an); irregularities of quantity or quality, sul stuntlally vus described.

' ARTHUR G. MCKEE. Witnesses:

L. Quinny,

L. Ross Enma'rr. 

